I know who bought and paid for Mayor Hales. I am however cautiously optimistic about his mayorship based on the first 30 days. Perhaps it is my youth.

The payoff to Homer and the boys will doubtlessly come later. But so far, a blessed relief from the Twins.

But so far, a blessed relief from the Twins. I'll second that

That is GREAT news!

You'd almost think Hales was reading this blog.

Charlie is certainly doing a better job than the previous administration was at this point in their term.

I'm cautiously optimistic about Hales. But there are a lot of details to come. And the payoffs to Homer, Edlen, Dyke, etc. could be scary.

Here's just one of many details that could help the budget of the PBOT. Over $19 Million comes from parking fees. But much of that goes to programs totally disassociated from where parking fees are required to go- streets. For example parking is paying for washing TriMet's Mall. Sam stole the parking fees from South Waterfront URA for the Milwaukie Lightrail. Parking fees are used to help fund the streetcars. Etc.

Hales could easily and properly re-allocate parking fees to the help fix our streets.

The other thing he needs to do is start streamlining functions across all bureaus. Lay off about two thirds of the flacks and tweeters, especially in that dippy planning and sustainability office. Stop buying the illusion of decent government and buy some actual decent government.

The longshoremen at existing ports are running at ~50% capacity (at best on a good day). No need to raze an island except for padding developer pockets. The CRC bridge, if done RIGHT, could actually help our local economy, short AND long term.

Job #1: build it tall enough for existing river traffic to fit underneath.

Sad sad sad to see the 'panning dept' missed that one, and wasted over a hundred mil ficking it up while on the dole w gov salary, holidays, healthcare, and of course...PERS.

PS: Bojack - have you paid your dues for using the white stag Portland, OR sign in your website's mast?

The taxman cometh...

Jack, that White Stag "Portland" sign showing up tonight on your masthead is hilarious.

Originally White Satin Sugar!

I'm telling ya, buy up a few of the Navy's retired aircraft carriers, moor them surrounding West Hayden Island...that'll give a great boost to Portland for the enviromentally minded folks to live in recycled ships now used for peaceful, communal living, with a massive green space in the middle. It'll save jobs (because we won't ship those ships to be scrapped elsewhere), offer a new, inexpensive housing option for several thousand Portlanders to live in minimial space...and it'll forever protect West Hayden Island.

I like it Erik. I'd rent a bunk for the summer for kicks. Those really are little floating cities. Over 5000 people live on them at any one time, and that's when they are set up to sail. Imagine how many you could squeeze in when moored?

So this new mayor saved the habitat for now huh? Reason to hope or just another political maneuver?

Political maneuver? Maybe Hales doesn't just like paved over Hayden Island, but has eyes on it for some eventual "built habitat" such as more housing development.

Interesting idea Erik. Doubt those developers would approve of bringing in pre-built abodes, and don't they kind of run much of the agenda around here?

Screw the developers.

There, I said it. They all live in the Bay Area or Seattle anyways; they don't even own up to living in the crap they build in this city.

Or if they do have a place of residence here, you can be sure they have several elsewhere at the coast or Palm Springs, wherever they can escape to get away. Unfortunately, some people cannot afford to get away and the more it costs to live here, the less discretionary funds to do so and the less discretionary funds to support local businesses. A downward spiral has been the path by the elected officials and the veal pen groups who stand by either by support or silence on critical issues.